Believe

Chapter; Fifty-Two

Year; Six

! #$%^&*(

Alice,

No, we do not PMS.

Think about what happened, maybe he is jealous?

I wouldn't try to poison Snape.

More quills are enclosed, what do you do with these things? Start colonies?

Lots of Frogs,

-Dad

#$%^&*()

The first week of school wasn't too bad in all but definitely harder than before. Now that they were all NEWT students they were expected to use non-verbal spells in all of their lessons which was not easy; Professor McGonagall certainly expected Alice to do so.

It was annoying, Alice had also learnt something. A happy Snape was not a good Snape; No, a happy Snape was a scary Snape. Alice had promised herself that she'd never ever in her life ever again, give Snape a potion to make him happy. Alice knew he had noticed after one bite of his food, but one bite was all that was needed and Snape was… Happy.

Never again THAT was going to happen. The year had just started and yet to Alice the drama during this year was going to sky rocket. Other years had been drama ridden of course but Alice knew – she just knew that this year was going to be the worst.

It was all because Dean had hit on her. Harry had been majorly annoyed, and they had a fight. Dean had a black-eye, and Harry had a split lip – the nurse refused to heal them. It was… amusing.

Alice had to start putting in effort into her school work as well. Something that Hermione seemed to be ecstatic about, because Alice spent more and more time with books.

Though all that, it was now Quidditch try outs. And for once in her life, she actually had to – try out. Harry was the new Gryffindor captain. Alice knew that Harry was the best captain that they could get, she was proud of him when he received it. Harry was a great Quidditch player.

But it seemed to Alice that Harry was rather sucking at trying to keep the team together. There was a really big crowed of people there for the try-outs but honestly.

"If there's anyone else who's here not from Gryffindor, leave now, please!"

There was a little bit of girlish giggling, and a few ran off but in the next wave there were more little Harry Potter fangirls. Alice had enough. Harry was not allowed to have fangirls.

"That is fucking it! If you're not being serious about this leave now! Or you'll be screwed for the rest of your stupid little lives!" Alice yelled.

Alice's eye twitched, she honestly going to kill someone, if she heard anymore girlish giggling. Alice watched more people run away from the already packed try-outs, much better.

Alice sighed as Harry yelled for the Chasers, and got a good at least twenty people step forward. This was going to be annoying. Alice had no doubts that she would be chosen again for the team, hell, everyone else would have to be amazing to get past her.

Alice stood in line with the other twenty odd Gryffindors – she was probably exaggerating… But they wouldn't stop chatting, and Harry was trying to speak. He sucked at this.

"I said shut up!" Alice yelled, and the entire arena became quite.

Harry sighed. "Twenty laps around the field! Only the first ten make it!" He yelled at the group. This was a smart move, with so many candidates he would need to narrow it down.

A quick race, that Alice had won mind you, and they had ten Chasers left. After a few routines and courses set by Harry and Gryffindors had their three Chasers.

Alice, Ginny Weasley and Katie Bell.

The beaters segment went by quickly and the new beaters were Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote.

Harry was obviously the Seeker.

That just left the Keeper, tryouts. It had been a close one between Ron and a seventh year named Comdic Mclaggan, at least that's who Alice thought he was. In the end it was just a slip of Mclaggans that lead Ron to win the try-outs. And now they had their team.

~52~

Later that night, Alice and Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the common room, just relaxing from the stress of being NEWT students.

Ron was sitting on the couch above Harry and Hermione while Alice was sitting in a nearby chair.

"I have to admit, I did think I was going to miss that last one," Ron commented. "I hope Cormac isn't taking it too hard. He's got a bit of a thing for you Hermione, Cormac."

This caused Hermione to look up at Ron in surprise. "He's vile," was all she said before they all got quiet again.

"Have you three ever heard this spell?" Harry asked, making Alice look up at his marked in Potions book. "Sectumsempra?"

"No, I haven't!" Hermione exclaimed, making Harry jump back a bit. "And if you had a shred of self respect you'd hand that book in!" she added.

"Not bloody likely," Ron smirked. "He's top of the class. Slughorn thinks he's a genius."

"Exactly, why would he give that up?" Alice said rhetorically. "I know Harry's not a genius but he's not stupid."

Suddenly Hermione jumped up and reached her hand out toward Harry's potion's book. "I'd like to know whose that book was. Let's have a look, shall we?"

"No," Harry said quickly, holding the book possessively, standing up to escape her reach.

"Why not?" she mirrored his movements, even more eager to see now that he resisted.

"The binding is fragile," he defended.

"The binding is fragile?" she scoffed.

Alice sighed, she was already over it. "Just show her Harry."

Harry glanced at Alice, who for her part was staring at the roof like it was the most interesting thing in the universe.

"Fine."

~52~

The morning was the trip to Hogsmeade, how Alice hated Hogsmeade weekends. She wouldn't normally mind, but this time she was going with Harry – now, she didn't hate the boy, in fact she would say that she loved him to an extent.

But this was going to be their first 'official' date, and Alice knew Harry was nervous… Mainly because Neville had told her about Harry muttering to himself about it.

Alice woke up earlier than usual but seeing that it was near breakfast she got dressed, making care to look slightly nicer than normal, which was hard considering she always looked awesome. Then she headed down to the Great Hall where she found Harry waiting for her with a few miniature flowers – they were literally the size of her palm.

Harry greeted her normally, handing her the flowers. Alice noticed amongst the sea of red flowers there was a white one. "There's always an odd one in a bunch – kind of like you."

Alice grinned and stuck her tongue out at Harry. "Now aren't you all romantic?"

Harry just shrugged, and Alice leant in and placed a kiss on his lips. Harry's arms came to rest on her hips, holding her closer to his body. Alice's hands came up to cup Harry's face, as she bit his bottom lip.

"PDA guys!" Ron yelled as he walked past them, and they broke apart. Harry glared after Ron.

Once the two Gryffindor's were finished with breakfast Alice grabbed her Gryffindor scarf and they headed with the rest of the school towards the main doors where Filch was standing with his Secrecy Sensor. A quick once over with that (and the usual suspicious look like she was going to cause absolute mayhem,) Harry and Alice walked together to Hogsmeade.

"So where do you want to go?" Harry asked when they had finally reached the village.

"Zonkos…" Alice said rapidly as she fluffed her short hair. But looking Alice saw that Zonko's Joke Shop had been boarded up, Alice frowned, her favorite shop? How would she get fireworks now?

"Er… As long as it's not Madam Puddifoot's teashop," Alice muttered her mood dropping dramatically as her eyes fell on a sickly looking red and pink shop.

"I'd never take you there, don't worry. I'm not that cheesy," he chuckled as he gave Alice a soft kiss on the neck. "Well how about we stop in Honeydukes and then head for a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"

"Hmm," Alice responded with a shrug of her shoulders.

Harry wrapped his arm round Alice's waist and they set off for Honeydukes. It was as busy as usual and so it was a scramble to get to the front desk to pay for things they had bought.

Alice had gotten some Sugar Quills to suck on during Transfiguration along with random candies, and a candy that made her lips twitch and she had to force herself to stop laughing at. Chosen one, lightning shaped lollypops. She had to buy one – for Harry of course. She was sure that he'd be ecstatic at his increased fame.

After Harry had paid for his sweets we left for the Three Broomsticks.

They walked in and moved to a small booth on the far side of the room in a dimly lit corner. They ordered two butterbears and sat, quietly talking about trivial things like favorite music and family things and the like. Alice had pulled out the lolly.

"Harry James Potter," Alice began. "I brought you something."

"What?" Harry asked warily.

Alice grabbed the lollypop out of her pocket and shoved it at Harry. "I may not be as cheesy as you but…"

Harry read the writing out loud. "Chosen one, lightning shaped lollypops?"

Alice smiled widely.

All in all, Alice wasn't glad when they'd left. But she was glad to see Ron and Hermione when they started to make their way up to the castle.

"Ron, Hermione!" Alice yelled in an attempt to stop their progress.

The two stopped and looked over their shoulders, but they didn't start walking again, there was that.

When Alice and Harry got to the two of them, there was a chorus of helloing.

A loud scream made them stop, though.

Leanne was staring wide eyed down at Katie Bell, who must have collapsed onto the ground; only, Katie's eyes were wide open.

"I warned her," Leanne exclaimed desperately. "I warned her not to touch it!"

Katie then started twitching before her body started beginning yanked around, as if someone was tugging on her with an invisible rope. She then suddenly flew up and into the air where she suddenly stopped, her arms outstretched and her hair whipping around her face as if everything had been slowed to a mystical crawl before she dropped back down to the ground with a hard thud.

"Don't get any closer," Alice spun around to see Hagrid walking up to them, with a serious look on his face that he almost never wore. "Get back, all of you," he ordered them as he walked past Alice and over to Katie. He then scooped her small frail body into his massive arms before looking back at us. "Do not touch that, except by the wrappings. Do you understand?"

Alice looked over and down at the necklace strung out along the snow, having come loose of its box. Harry was crouching over it, looking at it carefully as he pulled the wrappings and the box away from it.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Leanne and Alice stood silently near the front of the McGonagall's office, the necklace in its case, lying on McGonagall's desk as she circled it, giving it a fear filled look.

"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" McGonagall asked.

"It's like I said," Leanne began. "She left to go to the loo, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it."

"Did she say to whom?" McGonagall asked.

"To Professor Dumbledore."

Great, now Alice had someone trying to assassinate Dumbledore right under everyone's nose - lovely.

"Very well. Thank you, Leanne. You may go," McGonagall then turned to the remaining four students and she sighed. "Why is it when something happens, it is always you four?" she asked obviously referring to Alice, Ron, Hermione and Harry.

"Believe me, Professor," Ron muttered. "I've been asking myself the same question for six years!"

"Have not," Alice muttered under her breath. "You welcome it…"

Ron rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh, Severus," McGonagall sighed as Snape swept into the room and up to her desk. He pulled out his wand and levitated the necklace up and into the air in front of the two of them to further examine it.

"I think Miss Bell, is lucky to be alive," Snape finally said as he let the necklace lower back into its box.

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry asked beside Alice. "I know Katie. Off the pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."

"Yes, she was cursed," McGonagall nodded, answering his earlier question as she and Snape still stared down at the necklace.

"It was Malfoy," Harry said immediately.

Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and turned to stare at Harry openly. What the hell was he doing, just accusing him outright? Was he trying to be stupid?

McGonagall spoke first. "That is a very serious accusation, Potter."

"Indeed," Snape agreed with a glare. "Your evidence?"

"I don't have any, I just know."

"You just… know," Snape repeated slowly. "Again you astonish me with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One."

"I suggest you go back to your dormitories," McGonagall spoke up again, "All of you!"

Alice followed everyone out of the room, following Harry. Alice followed nearly all the way back to Griffindor Tower, except by then she was glaring at the back of his head annoyed. Why wasn't he talking to her? Honestly normally he wouldn't shut up and now he was ignoring her? This wasn't on.

Alice grabbed his hand and yanked him with her down a deserted hallway, forcing him into a wall so that she could glare up at him.

"Okay, I'm going to be nice, what crawled up your arse and died?" Alice asked annoyance colouring her tone.

"Oh I don't know," Harry growled sarcastically. "Maybe it's the fact that I just witnessed one of my friends get cursed and tossed around like a rag doll."

"Well, I'm sorry, she's my friend too. Don't ignore me though," Alice snapped and stormed off.

!#$%^&*(

Dad,

Allot has happened since my last letter.

I have learnt to not try and give Snape a cheerfulness potion, there are bad consequences.

I am a chaser on the quidditch team again – Harry's captain.

Harry and I had our first major argument as a couple.

Katie Bell, another chaser has gotten cursed and sent to St Mungos – it was meant for Dumbledore though.

Harry thinks it was Malfoy.

I have a headache.

Lots of Frogs,

-Alice X